We take this opportunity to give thanks for all the blessings and gifts we receive every day, and for the opportunity to be part of the lives of the students and families in our school community. Thank you to all faculty and staff for being the giving and committed educators that you are, and for the passion and hard work you demonstrate every day as we pursue our mission. I hope that the Thanksgiving holiday is full of rest, peace, joy, family, friends – and delicious food! You deserve it! Enjoy, relax, have fun and spend time with family!

DATA MEETINGS – CONTINUED

Thank you to all for your analysis and focus during last week’s data meetings. Next week, we will continue the work, by working on weekly short cycles and daily assessments that are aligned to the standards that will be assessed. Alignment between what is assessed and what is taught, is the key to success for students. It is important to plan backwards from the standards that will be taught on PARCC or AP, so that we are sure that each interim is assessing the key standards that must be mastered.

CHEC DEFENDS BOCCE GOLD

Submitted by Kaitlin Settle Athmer

Results for the Special Olympics Fall Championships are in, and CHEC cleaned up! This year, two teams represented CHEC in Unified Bocce--teams that combine general education students as Partners, playing on the same team as our Athletes. CHEC Big Boys--Devin Arts, Kevin Cruz, Phong Danh, Jose Villatoro, and Anthony Zapata--took home the gold in Division 1. It all came down to a half inch! And in Division 2, CHEC 4 Squad--Alida Angafor, Elvir Berisha, Jennifer Garcia, Rahel Mideska, and Gabriel Siaw--took home the bronze. In Basketball Skills, Jennifer Garcia and Gabriel Siaw both dribbled their way to silver medals. Kevin Cruz hit some aces to get a silver in Tennis Skills. And Jose Villatoro joined a Unified Partner from the Madeira School to also bring home a silver medal in doubles play.

We look forward to Bowling starting up in December! If anyone is interested in helping out with after school Unified Bocce for the spring while Coach Settle Athmer is on maternity leave, please let her know!

CHEC Arts Update

The International Dinner Needs Your Talent!!!

Submitted by Amylia Barnett

For this year's International Dinner on Thursday, December 8, CHEC Arts is asking for you to get involved. We are wanting to make the event open to all teachers and students and encompass the rich traditions of our student body. Possible presentations could be a song, a dance, a poem, a skit, or anything that represents what the holidays mean to our students, teachers, and staff. If you are interested or know a student who would be interested in presenting, please email Amylia Barnett at amylia.barnett@dc.gov.

We will start rehearsing upon return from Thanksgiving break. Thank you, talented teachers.

Congratulations to Coach Tyson and the football team on a great season. The football team lost to Roosevelt in the Gravy Bowl but 12 players selected to the All DCIAA Stripes 1st and 2nd teams:

1st Team

Brandon Andrews - DL

Kendall Brooks - WR

Teyonte McKenzie - RB

Juan Sanchez - OL

2nd Team

Keiron Black - QB

Kedric Draper - DL

Klem Garcia - K

Andrae Green - WR

Andrew McPherson - RB

Donte Nelson - TE

Ky'lee Palmer - OL

Jawaun Tutt - S

For detailed statistics on each high school game go to allmetsports.com or maxpreps.com and search Bell.

THIS WEEK'S SPORTS SCHEDULE

Monday

VGB Scrimmage at 4:30 @ Banneker

Tuesday

MSBB Scrimmage at 5:00 @ CHEC

Wednesday

No Games

Thursday

No Games

Friday

No Games

Saturday

No Games

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Monday

SLC Morning Meeting

Tuesday

SLC Morning Meeting

Department Meeting

Wednesday

Department Meeting

Data Meetings

Thursday

Thanksgiving Holiday

Friday

Thanksgiving Holiday

UPCOMING EVENTS

AND ACTIVITIES

CHEC Bellmen Update

Submitted by Demario Hardmon Fort

Congratulations to Brandon Andrews, Juan Sanchez, and Alex Martinez for being featured on DCPS's official social media sites after being interviewed for their participation in the CHEC Bellmen program! See the post on the Bellmen Website at CHEC Bellmen are challenged to complete a list of tasks, which were developed to help them achieve physical, mental, spiritual, financial, creative, and social development. Visit checbellmen.com to see the #BellmenChallenge list and consider being a leader or ally participant.

Empowering our young men can be as simple as allowing them to see us pursuing success in these 6 areas. It would prove to them that the journey to success is lifelong and that we can achieve more when taking on challenges together. Leadership opportunities are now open and Bellmen are applying for CEO, COO, CIO, Commander in Chief, and Director of Events positions. They will take leadership of the group and meet regularly with the Board of Directors to make sure the group mission is upheld. Students may need help with their resume or cover, please give them a hand if they ask for help!

Ways to get involved:

Be a leader- if you have expertise in any of the areas on the #BellmanChallenge list, please let us know if you'd like to lead an activity (a workout, special project, field trip, etc.). We also have a need for staff to sit on the EMOC Board of Directors, to advise Bellmen leaders in executing the group mission.

Be an ally participant- use the checmellmen.com website to sign up for an activity. Come out and show the boys what committing to personal development loos like!

Be a resource- if you have information about any persons or events that could help our boys tackle more items from the #BellmenChallenge list, please let us know!

To respond to items in this post, please email checbellmen@gmail.com for more information.

CHEC PERSONAL GROWTH TEAM HAS A NEW PROJECT

Submitted by Maria Del Rosario Gomez

A new PGT project aims to pilot Tier 1 Response to Intervention in 24 classrooms with the goal of continuing towards a trauma-informed school.Below is the web link with a complete description of the project.I want to make sure my students have the materials they need to succeed, so I just created a request for my classroom at DonorsChoose.org: Classroom Zen: How To Deal With Stress And Find Zen!. If you chip in to help my students, you'll get awesome photos and our heartfelt thanks.

LIBRARY UPDATE

Submitted by Angela Martinez and Angela Falkenberg

Please see the images below for further clarification on the 25 Book Campaign. Information sheets will also be placed in mailboxes after the Thanksgiving break. Sheets can be posted in class and used with students.

Please remember that all students need a signed pass when going to the library from lunch.

Record Circulation - Combined (Lincoln and Bell) book circulation is higher than it’s been in the last two years! We are currently at approximately 300 more books circulated so far this year than in past years. Thank you for all your support and assistance in helping us reach this achievement!

LEAP TEAM SPOTLIGHT

Featuring the ELA LEAP leaders of the Columbia Heights Education Campus (CHEC). This team ensures all teachers have time to collaborate and discuss differentiation of content in their LEAP seminars. Throughout the sessions, the LEAP leaders celebrate teachers and invite them to share their expertise and personal classroom examples of success in relation to the specific seminar. Special education teachers and general education teachers are provided time to plan and discuss how they will differentiate instruction when supporting students with disabilities in accessing complex text.

SHOUT OUTS

Shout out to all departments for powerful data meetings!!

Shout out to all faculty and staff for making chec social justice day a huge success!!!

CHEC GREEN TEAM'S AWARENESS WEEK CAMPAIGN!

November 21st – 23rd

Events Include:

Movie Monday @ 3:30pm, Model UN, 11/21

Advisory Lesson, Tuesday, 11/22

Luchtime Table Activities, Wednesday, 11/23

****and……classrooms launch the CHEC Recycles! initiative!!!! *****

(see attached and post in your classrooms!!!)

OPPORTUNITIES AND UPDATES

The Leadership Team will continue to meet every other Friday this year, and the Academic Leadership Team (ALT) will meet every other Wednesday. The ALT met last Wednesday, November 30, and our next ALT/Leadership Team meeting will be Wednesday, December 14. At this meeting, we will continue to track progress on the comprehensive school plan, and analyze the results of the short cycles. The notes and minutes from all meetings are available on the CHEC Portal. The Academic Leadership Team is a group of teachers, counselors, and administrators who meet every other week to discuss school needs, and plan for improvements. The Leadership Team designs the school’s comprehensive school plan, and helps in its implementation.Please consider joining the Leadership Team this year. It is open to all faculty and staff.We need the involvement and voices of all. Remember, Leadership team meetings are open to all who are interested in schoolwide decision-making and leadership. You can come once, or as many times as you like, but please make your voice heard!

CLIMATE

The advisory transition is the most powerful moment in establishing climate, norms, and routines. Remember our goal of consistency so that students experience consistent expectations and support. Please also remember our shift to Restorative Justice. Use CHAMPS and PBIS to support your classroom climate! The Deans will be chairing the School Climate and Culture Team. Please join to make your voice heard on the School Climate and Culture.

NOMINATE A STUDENT OF THE WEEK!!!

This IS A REMINDER ABOUT THE Student of the Week Program. Any staff member can nominate a student, for academic or mission related accomplishments. Please send your nominations by email toM. Tukeva.